Tire-protector.



0. E. KIMBALL. TIRE PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1907.

Patented July 13,1909.

UNITED sTATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLUFFS, Iowa.

Patented July 13, 1 Serial No. 356,980.

Specification. Letters Patent.

Application filed February- 12, 1907.

reference to the accompanying drawings will disclose that the character 3 indicates a tread plate concaved upon its under face to form a raised port1on4, each end of the tread To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E.K1MBALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawat- 5 tamie and Stateof Iowa, have invented cerplate being directed downwardly as inditain new and useful Improvements in Tirecated at 5, with its edges 6 turned upwardly Protectors, of whichthe followingis a specifor a purpose presently explained. Formed fication in the tread plate near each end thereof and This invention relates to tire protectors. preferably at the ends of the raised portion One object of the invention is to provide 4, 1s a slot7, each slot lying n an inclined an armor for pneumatic or other tires empl n correspo d ng t0 h inc i a i f h bodyin such characteristics that the tire is downwardly directed ends of the tread plate. shielde from wear and prevented from slip- The reference characters 8, 9 and 10 indiping. catc a series of chain lates, each formed Another object resides in the provision of alike, and consisting of a body portion 11 a tire protector made up in series of separate reduced at one end to form a tapering tongue and independent sets of chains arranged 12 adapted to be bent at substantially a ri ht transversely of the tire and secured against angle to the body 11 of each chain plate, the displacement by engagement with therim of tongue 12 of the plate 8 engaging the slot 7 the wheel with which thetire is associated. at each end ofthe tread plate and the A still further object is to provide an tongues 12 of the chain lates engaging sucarmor for tires embodying simplicity, inexcessively in the slots 13 fermed in each ofthe pensiveness, durability and efficiency. chainplates, said tongues being preferably iVith the above and other objects in view, bent back into engagement with the body the present invention consists in the combiportion of the corresponding chain plate.

nation and arrangement of parts hereinafter Connecting the slot 13 of the outermost described, illustrated in the accompanying chain plate is a connecting element or hook drawings, and articularly pointed out in 15 provided with lip 16 struck up there the appended c aims, it being understood from and directed toward the bent end 17 that changes may be made in the form proof said element to prevent disengagement portion, size and minor details without de of the latter from the outermost chain plate. parting from the spirit or sacrificing any of The opposite end of the connecting element the advantages of the invention. 15 is bent, as at 18, for engagement with the In t e drawings :-Figure ,1 illustrates a. rim 1 between the latter and the tire 2, as

portion of a wheel having my invention apshown, the outermost faces of the bent ends plied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional l7 and 18 being preferably beveled.

View through the tire and my improved In practice I prefer not to have the adjaarmor. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section viewcent series of plates overlap, although I do through a portion of the tire, illustrating a prefer that the upwardly directed edge porfew of the armor elements. Fig. 4 is a detions 6 of the tread plates 4 have intimate tail perspective view of the tread plate. Fig. engagement as illustrated in Fig. 3 to pre- 5 is a transverse sectional View of the tread vent the admission and accumulation of for- I plate. Fig. 6 is a planview of one of the eign matter beneath the tread plates. By chain plates; and Fig. 7 is a detail perspecreason of the raised portion 0 the tread tive View of one means for securing the plates, they do not bear throughout their armor to the rim of the wheel. surfaces upon the tire, thereby preventing Referring now more particularly to the undue wear of the tireor plates incident to accompany ng drawings, the reference charany possible frictional engagement between acter 1 indicates a rim and 2 the tire of a the tne and tread plates. All of the plates,

wheel, it bein understood that the tire may including the hook or connecting element 15, be a solid, in atable or any other variety of are arranged to present a flat surface to the tire, especially, however, one of the type tire at their joints to provide fora rolling particularly adapted for use in connection motion to reduce friction and wear. In with automobiles. other words, there is a right angle joint con- As the separate sets of chains are. similar ncction between the plates. To accomplish in form, I will describe but one of them, and this right angled joint connecting and conseportions so quent Tolling motion of the plates the tongues or bent portions of the connecting plates are passed through the slots of adjacent plates at right angles to their body that on slight motion the parts will rock instead of slide upon one another.

When the armor elements have been positioned upon the wheel, that is, when the connecting elements or hooks have been engaged with the rim of the wheel, the fingers 16 will positively prevent unhooking ordetachment of the armor elements by reason of the fingers 16 cooperatin with the bent ends 17 of the connecting dlements or hooks 15. One feature of the invention resides in the fact that the body portions of the plates do not overlap, but that, on the other hand, the body portions of the chain plates are spaced slightly from one another, and while l have stated hereinbefore that the tongues 12 of the chain plates are preferably bent into engagement with the body portions of the plates, it is to be understood that this engagement of the extremities of the tongues with the body portions of the plates is not essential.

What is claimed is 1. A tire protector comprising a series of tread plates each having a raised intermediate portion, upturned side flanges and a slot near each end, a series of interlockingplates connected in each slot of each tread plate, and a connecting member secured to the outermost interlocking plate of each series, the

upturned side edges of adjacent tread plates meeting one another.

2. A tire protector comprising a series of tread plates each having a raised intermediate portion, upturned side edges and a slot tread plates each having a raised intermediupturned side edges and a slot ate portion,

of each plate being near each end, the ends dlsposed upon body portion, a series of interlocking plates connected in each slot of each tread plate, and a connecting member secured to the outermost interlocking plate of each series to secure the correspondin tread and interlocking plates upon the tire, said connecting member having a rigid finger struck up therefrom, substantially as shown and described. e

5. A tire protector comprising a series of tread plates each having its opposite sides dis osed upon an incline with respect to its bo y portion and also having a slot near,

each end, and means having connection with each slot to secure the plates upon the tire.

In testimony whereof I afiix'my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. KIMBALL.

Witnesses:

CLEM- F. KIMBALL, E'rnnr. Hnrsnnn.

an incline with respect to its 

